Punjab was put on alert after two separate blast-like incidents rocked the state within hours on Tuesday, sparking panic and triggering sharp political reactions.
In Amritsar, a suspected explosion was reported around 10:50 pm near the Khasa cantonment area close to Amritsar Cantt. Police and Army teams rushed to the site after locals reported hearing a loud blast. Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams were deployed to collect samples and examine the area.
Amritsar SP Aditya S Warrier said authorities were still verifying the number of blasts and their exact cause. No injuries were reported, and samples have been sent for forensic analysis.
Earlier in the evening, a scooter parked outside the Border Security Force (BSF) Punjab Frontier headquarters in Jalandhar caught fire around 8 pm. Witnesses reported hearing a powerful blast-like sound before flames engulfed the vehicle.
A video from the scene showed a massive explosion that sent a nearby bystander running in panic.
A senior Punjab Police officer said the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) had claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar incident, though the claim was still being verified. Investigators are also probing a possible link to Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti.
Police, however, cautioned against drawing conclusions too early. Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur said preliminary findings suggested the scooter may have caught fire accidentally, but all angles were under investigation.
The scooter owner, 22-year-old courier worker Gurpreet Singh, suffered minor injuries. His family claimed he had stepped away moments before the explosion and suspected that an object may have been hurled at the vehicle.
Security agencies, forensic experts, bomb squads, and dog squads were deployed at the scene, while the area was sealed off for investigation.
The incidents come just days after a failed blast attempt on a railway track in Patiala’s Rajpura area on April 27, where the accused died during the detonation attempt, raising fresh concerns over security in Punjab.
Opposition parties slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over the incidents, alleging a breakdown in law and order. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia called the blasts “serious” and accused authorities of rushing to conclusions without a proper investigation.
Punjab BJP leaders described the Jalandhar incident as a “chilling reminder” of deteriorating security, while Congress leaders raised concerns over vigilance failures and urged stronger measures to restore public confidence.
